1559
Peace of Cateau-Cambresis
After sixty years of Habsburg-Valois war in Italy, France and Spain signed a peace at Cateau-Cambresis.
Henry II Killed in a Joust
Celebrating the peace with Spain, Henry II of France took part in a joust against his captain Gabriel de Montgomery and took a splinter through the visor.
Index of Forbidden Books Published
Pope Paul IV issued the first universal Index Librorum Prohibitorum, banning hundreds of authors from Erasmus to Machiavelli.
John Knox Returns to Scotland
The reformer John Knox, exiled preacher and scourge of queens, stepped off a ship at Leith and launched a preaching tour that would ignite the Scottish…
Elizabethan Religious Settlement
The new English parliament passed the Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, restoring royal headship of the Church of England and imposing a revised Book…
Madrid Becomes Spanish Capital
Philip II quietly moved his court from Toledo to Madrid, a modest town on a high central plateau chosen for its climate, water, and central location.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1559?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1559. The most significant is Peace of Cateau-Cambresis: After sixty years of Habsburg-Valois war in Italy, France and Spain signed a peace at Cateau-Cambresis.
What era was 1559 part of?
1559 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1559?
The events from 1559 span Europe.